2010: A Year in Review

2010 started off on shaky footing.  I was still reeling from a bad, mostly unemployed 2009 with the broadcast job that was sucking my soul. Luckily in January, I got out. I quit to freelance at a magazine for a few weeks, and just when it seemed it was all turning around, I found myself stranded in another bout of unemployment that left me feeling anxious, unproductive and unsure for months. While I know the bad economy was a problem affecting much of our nation, I often felt very alone in my struggles since most of my close friends and family had weathered through it okay, so it was very challenging time for me. Lots of interviews. Lots of rejection. Lots of nothing happening.

To keep me sane, I dove headfirst into a disciplined diet and workout regimen and wedding planning which surprisingly served as a creative outlet for me (also very strange predicament to be planning a wedding when you have no money in the bank. I have my generous and supportive mother to thank for that!) Inspired by my friends, I also picked up my camera in April and started the 365 photo project, which encouraged me to practice photography daily by taking at least one photo a day. I wish I had done more in my time off work, but my worry about money and my future paralyzed me, and so that's just the way it was.

My wedding, in the end of May, was seriously the happiest day of my life, and I couldn't have imagined anything better. It was amazing to have all of our friends and family celebrate our wedding in New Orleans, and I am thrilled to have married my best friend. After a fabulous honeymoon in Costa Rica, with a snap of the fingers, I came back home and I started to get steady freelance work again. Just like that, my life fell back into a steady rhythm, the worries of money and inadequacy slowly disappearing. Man did it feel good. I picked up a steady permalance magazine job with very sane hours and regularly did work from a handful of clients in the evenings and weekends.  The work is not particularly fulfilling or interesting. But I am good at it, the people I work with are nice, I have a lot of variety, low-stress and best of all, I just have an overall sense of gratefulness that I never had before. I am very happy with how things are now.

The second half of the year was fairly quiet and was spent building security again by working a lot, saving money and settling into married life, which did feel a little different. After such a long time as a couple, I didn't think our relationship would change. But now Dan and I are now a family, and our connection has definitely grown stronger.

Finally on steadier ground, I am pleased with how this year turned around. It wasn't perfect, but I feel content, and I have a renewed sense of optimism for the year ahead.

Here's my year in a nutshell:

The Good
The best day of my life.
Saying good-bye to broadcast news.
The s'mores machine.
Exercise-on-demand and hill sprint dates.
Swing dance lessons.
Fridays with Heather and Drake.
Calligraphy makes me really happy.
365 Photo Project.
Wedding planning.
My bachelorette party.
My friendship with Holly.
Bros icing bros.
Costa Rica and Monkey Heaven.
Philly Day trip
Seeing Hello Lonesome on the big screen.
V-town reception, Fly's Grave, Meat Pop-ems and Brett Jackson.
The year of the baby: It seems like everyone we know either had a baby or is currently expecting.
My favorite day of the year: Ocean Grove.
The joy of working.
The German woman.
Running a PR.
Going all out (and on faux Euro vacations) for our birthdays.
Still working our way through the 100 things list.
Holiday Mix

The Bad
The Ousting of Conan.
Orchard Beach.
Eating intestines.
Months of so many interviews, so many rejections.
The death of a wise man.
The death of a friend.

The Ugly
Getting yucky stomach sick once, twice, even on my birthday.
Spending New Year's Eve working in a thankless job in a news TV control room. At midnight, everyone got champagne but me (until five minutes later when someone realized I was there). Thanks guys. I loved you, too.

Favorite Books Read in 2010 (not necessarily written in 2010): A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan, and Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer

Favorite Movies Seen in 2010 (not necessarily made in 2010): Up and The Social Network